#14 Tartans Drop First Game of Season in 17-10 Battle at #7 Grove City

(GROVE CITY, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University football team, ranked 14th nationally, traveled to seventh-ranked Grove City College on Saturday afternoon. The Tartans recorded their first loss of the season with a 17-10 four-quarter battle to the Wolverines in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) showdown.

Game Information
Carnegie Mellon 10, Grove City 17
Records: Carnegie Mellon (5-1, 5-1 PAC), Grove City (5-0, 5-0 PAC)
Location: Grove City, Pa. (Robert E. Thorn Field)

How it Happened

• After a series of exchanges, Carnegie Mellon opened the scoring with a career-long 43-yard field goal from junior kicker Justin Caputo, putting the Tartans up 3-0 with 1:24 left in the first quarter.
• After a 10-minute scoring drought, Grove City returned the favor on a 4-yard touchdown strike from senior quarterback Logan Pfeuffer to senior wide receiver Ryan Heckathorn, closing a 10-play, 48-yard drive eating up 4:16 to put the Wolverines ahead 7-3 with 3:34 left in the half.
• Grove City sophomore kicker and wide receiver Daniel Sullivan extended the lead with a 25-yard field goal, capping a seven-play, 35-yard drive to put the Wolverines up 10-3 at the half.
• Late in the third quarter, a Tartan fumble was forced by Grove City junior linebacker Ben Bladel and recovered in the endzone by junior safety Ryan Montgomery, putting the Wolverines up 17-3 at the 4:20 mark.
• Following a brief exchange, the Tartans struck back with a 17-yard touchdown pass from graduate student quarterback Ben Mills to sophomore wide receiver Reece Kolke, capping an eight-play, 63-yard drive taking up 2:57. The score cut the lead to 17-10 with 1:15 left in the third.

Stats

• The Tartans outgained the Wolverines 273-232 on 64 plays a piece.
• Mills led the Tartans with 282 passing yards on 29-46 completions, along with a touchdown and two interceptions. His pass completion and attempts were both career-highs for the signal caller.
• Senior Dominic Voiland led the Tarans in receiving yards with a career-high 109 yards on six receptions. It marked Voiland's first career- 100-yard receiving game.
• Sophomore Brendan McCullough finished with a career-best seven receptions for 62 yards.
• The Tartan rushing corps were held to -9 yards on the ground while The Tartans held the Wolverines to 86 yads on the ground.
• Tartans senior defensive lineman Vincent Ceci and junior safety Jacob Franze both recorded career-highs with nine tackles a piece.

Game Notes

• The Tartans lead the all-time series over the Wolverines 37-25-2.
• The Tartans are 8-16 all-time against ranked opponents since D3football.com started a Top 25 poll in 2003.
• The Tartans have now the Tartans have held five of their opponents under 100 yards rushing in a game this season.
• Mills becomes the Tartans all-time leader in career pass completions and now has 538 for his career.
• Graduate student Thomas Coury moved into fourth in program history in tackles for a career. He now has 267 for his career.
• The Tartans streak of 23 consecutive games winning when holding their opponent to under 300 yards of total offense was snapped.
• The Tartans streak of 14 straight victories when being the first to score was snapped.

Thoughts From Head Coach Ryan Larsen

• "I'm proud of how hard our team fought today. They never gave up, and although it was not the result we wanted, I know with that effort the results will come. We will keep focusing on how we can improve in all three phases of the game, as we prepare for St. Vincent."

Up Next

• Carnegie Mellon will be idle next Saturday before heading to Saint Vincent College on Saturday, October 26. Kick is set for 1:00 p.m.